MacTech News

Oct 15

Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers comes to Mac OS X

Pinkerton Road Studio says Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers 20th Anniversary Edition (www.GabrielKnight20th.com) has shipped for Mac and PC systems It's available for purchase online for US$19.99 from major online retailers such as Steam, GOG.com and the Phoenix Online Store.
Here's ow the game is described: "Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Fathers 20th Anniversary Edition builds upon and greatly enhances one of gaming’s most storied adventures, reimagining the groundbreaking voodoo murder mystery, first released in 1993, for an entirely new generation of fans. Allowing players to experience the award-winning tale through the lens of a stunning visual makeover, and adding entirely new backgrounds and puzzles, it offers a must-see mix of new and familiar challenges alike.
"As struggling author and bookstore owner Gabriel Knight, players will investigate a series of savage ritual killings in New Orleans and their connection to voodoo’s sinister mysteries. The deeper they dive into...

Oct 15

Allegorithmic ships Substance Painter 1.0

Allegorithmic (allegorithmic.com) has released Substance Painter, a painting app with 4K support and the ability to load custom shaders.
It's designed to accurately replicate the look of age, decay and fractures and is targeted to game developers. Substance Painter boasts attributes like multi-channel painting, non-destructive workflows and physically-based rendering. It also includes a customized version of Popcorn FX’s particle editor.
Substance Painter 1.0 is available for both the Mac OS X and Windows platforms. Normally priced at US$149 for independent artists and $590 for a pro license, it will remain at its beta price of $99 until Oct. 31.

Oct 15

Gartner: tablet sales will represent less than 10% of all...

Tablet sales growth is slowing in 2014 as new hardware buyers turn to alternative devices and existing users extend the lifetime of their tablets, according to Gartner, Inc. (www.gartner.com).
The research group estimates that tablet sales worldwide will reach 229 million units in 2014, an 11% increase from 2013, representing 9.5% of total worldwide sales of devices in 2014. In 2013, tablet sales grew 55%. Worldwide combined shipments of devices (PCs, tablets, ultramobiles and mobile phones) for 2014 are estimated to reach 2.4 billion units in 2014, a 3.2% increase from 2013.
"The device market continues to evolve, with the relationship between traditional PCs, different form factor ultramobiles (clamshells, hybrids and tablets) and mobile phones becoming increasingly complex," says Ranjit Atwal, research director at Gartner.
In the tablets segment, the downward trend stems from the slowdown in basic ultramobiles — new sales of iPads and Android tablets — and the lifetime extension...

Oct 15

Juniper Research: over 100 smart watches to be in use by 2019

A new report by Juniper Research (http://www.juniperresearch.com) has forecast that more than 100 million smart watches will be in use worldwide by 2019, with a host of premium brand launches over the next 12-18 months bringing the category into mainstream consumer consciousness.
According to the report, differentiation is now shifting from hardware towards other features that allow new capabilities, such as GPS and NFC connectivity. It argues that these functionalities are likely to become standard in the next few years, particularly as Apple has offered payment and NFC capability via the Apple Watch.
The report also claims that the range of functionality available means that it is unlikely that a "killer app"for smartwatches would evolve. It cites the example of Fitbit, which grew to dominance in the fitness space with a mantra of "one size doesn’t fit all," and varying device form factor. The report argues that, given the greater scope for development in smart watches, the industry...

Oct 15

Buy FileMaker Pro 13 or FileMaker Pro 13 Advanced through Dec,...

FileMaker today announced a Buy One Get One Free promotion for FileMaker Pro 13 and FileMaker Pro 13 Advanced, a worldwide limited-time offer that allows those who purchase either product to receive a second downloadable copy of the same product for free (a US$329 or $549 value, respectively) from FileMaker.
The offer applies only to FileMaker Pro 13 or FileMaker Pro 13 Advanced and is limited to one gift request per person, household or company between Oct. 15 and Dec. 10, 2014. The promotion is valid for the downloadable versions of the products purchased from the FileMaker Store.
The free versions are fully working, not-for-resale versions of FileMaker Pro 13 or FileMaker Pro 13 Advanced for Windows or Mac. The offer is not valid in connection with any other rebates, discounts or promotions. Go here (http://tinyurl.com/matk8lc) for full offer details and other restrictions.

Oct 15

Power APP releases App Store Icon Resizer for Mac OS X

Power App AG (http://www.powerapp.ch) has announced App Store Icon Resizer 1.0, its new developer tool for Mac OS X. With a single action, it takes care of creating all sizes of app icons that are needed for every app in Apple's App Store.
App Store Icon Resizer prompts the user with a window, where the basic icon with a resolution of 1024x1024 pixels can be dragged in. After choosing the devices that the icon is meant to be used for, all necessary sizes can be exported to a user defined folder.
App Store Icon Resizer requires Mac OS X 10.7 or higher. It costs US$1.99 and is available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Developer Tools category.

Oct 15

KeyCue is ready for Mac OS X Yosemite

Ergonis Software has released KeyCue 7.3, an update to the cheat sheet for learning and remembering keyboard shortcuts. The upgrade is ready for Mac OS X Yosemite.
With KeyCue, whenever the command key is kept pressed for a while, the software displays a table with all keyboard shortcuts available in the currently active application, systemwide hotkeys, as well as key combinations for triggering macros in Keyboard Maestro, QuicKeys and iKeys.
KeyCue requires Mac OS X 10.5.8 or newer. The upgrade to version 7.3 is free for anyone who owns a valid license for KeyCue 7. Upgrade paths are available for owners of older licenses. For information about purchases, including enterprise licenses, volume discounts, and upgrade pricing offers, go to the Ergonis Software web site (www.ergonis.com).

Oct 15

Elmedia Player for Mac OS X gets tweaked user interface

Eltima Software (http://www.eltima.com) has released Elmedia Player 5.0, an update of its media player for the Mac. It sports a revamped user interface and eliminates the need to install plug-ins to playback videos.
Elemda Player can play all most popular Flash and video formats and allows downloading online videos and their external resources directly to the hard drive.
The free version of Elmedia Player allows playing such formats as XAP (Silverlight), RM and RV (Real Media), SWF, EXE and FLV (Flash), AVI, MOV, MPEG and more. It can play local movies and videos or online ones via a built-in web browser.
Elmedia Player also provides its users with organization and management: media library inspired by iTunes, usual and smart playlists creation, volume adjustment in the application (not interfering with system volume, which is unique for Flash files) and more.
There's also an US$19.95 pro version that unlocks such possibilities as: downloading online videos and movies with their...

Oct 14

IDG puts Macworld/iWorld on hold, Not taking place in 2015

IDG has released a statement that it's putting its annual Macworld/iWorld expo on hold.
The statement reads: "We are announcing today that Macworld/iWorld is going on hiatus, and will not be taking place as planned in 2015. Our MacIT event, the world’s premiere event for deploying Apple in the enterprise, will continue next year with details to be announced in the coming weeks.
"Since 1985, Macworld events have brought together a community to celebrate the incredible innovations that Apple has brought into the world, shining a spotlight on the developers who add value to the user’s experience in infinite ways. As Apple products and the related ecosystem have changed, so has the marketplace, and we are proud to have played a part in that evolution. Literally thousands of companies and hundreds of products have come to market at Macworld, and countless professional relationships have been forged. We’d like to take this opportunity to thank the Apple community for allowing us to host...

Oct 14

Grids is new Instagram client for Mac OS X

ThinkTime Creations has released Grids (http://thegridsapp.com), an Instagram client app for Mac OS X. Users can view their feed, profile, liked photos, popular photos and nearby photos as well as like, comment and save photos/videos, and more.
Grids' user interface works both at full screen and in widget-sized window. Photos are automatically resized according to the viewport size with customizable preferences.
Grids works with Mac OS X 10.7 or later, including Yosemite. It costs US$1.99 and is available worldwide through the Mac App Store in the Social Networking category. Grids requires users to have an Instagram account to use. Users can sign up for an account from their iPhone or Android Instagram app.

Oct 14

Maintain serves up OS X Yosemite version of Cocktail

Maintain has served up Cocktail 8.0 (http://cocktail.maintain.se), a new version of its Mac OS X utility that's compatible with Yosemite.
Cocktail is a general purpose utility for OS X that lets you clean, repair and optimize your Mac. Its features are arranged into five categories that help you manage various aspects of your computer.
Cocktail 8.0 (Yosemite Edition) requires OS X Yosemite to run. Cocktail (Mavericks Edition) for OS X 10.9, Cocktail (Mountain Lion Edition) for OS X 10.8 and Cocktail (Lion Edition) for OS X 10.7 are available for download from the Maintain website.
When unregistered, Cocktail runs in demo mode and will expire after the tenth launch. Registration is US$19 for a single user license or $39 for a family license that covers up to five computers.

Oct 14

LEGO Movie videogame coming to the Mac on Oct. 16

Feral Interactive says The LEGO Movie Videogame will be released for the Mac on October 16. Developed by TT Games and published by Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment for consoles, handhelds and PC, its an adaptation of the hit film, The LEGO Movie. When released, the game will be available for download from a variety of digital partner sites worldwide including the Feral Store, Steam and the Mac App Store.
Here's how the game is described: "The LEGO Movie Videogame tells the story of Emmet, a seemingly average construction worker recruited by a group of insanely imaginative ‘Master Builders’ to bring down the over-controlling Lord Business, who insists everyone follow building instructions. Players can take on Emmet and over 90 other LEGO characters, harnessing the wonderfully creative powers of the Master Builders including Wyldstyle, Batman, Gandalf and the irrepressibly cheerful Unikitty.
"With a madcap story told using clips from the film and original in-game dialogue, The...

Oct 14

FileMaker offers free guide to high-performance FileMaker...

FileMaker Inc. (www.filemaker.com) has announced the “Performance” guide, a free, 30-page electronic guide to building high-performance custom FileMaker solutions that run on iPad, iPhone, Windows, Mac and the web.
The first in a series of FileMaker guides focused on solution design, the Performance guide is available immediately for download via the FileMaker Technical Network, a free-to-join online resource network and community for FileMaker developers and enthusiasts.
Ryan Rosenberg, vice president, marketing and services for FileMaker, says the guide identifies the top factors that affect performance. In simple language, it details how to apply best practices to enhance actual solution performance. Rosenberg says readers will learn how to:
° Create efficient solutions that send the optimal amount of information;
° Offload automation tasks to FileMaker server so solutions run faster when accessed from FileMaker Go for iPad or iPhone;
° Design solutions that are easier to maintain...

Oct 14

Booq unveils the Cobra slim laptop bag

Booq (www.booqbags.com) has introduced the Cobra slim, a laptop bag constructed of Bionic fabric, a patented method that transforms recycled beverage bottles into high-performance yarn. It's available for US$195.
A bag for "fashion-forward professionals," the Cobra slim offers storage for a laptop, tablet, phone, and other essential accessories in a slender design. It provides protective, organized and accessible storage options tailored around common items. A large padded zipper compartment accommodates a 15-inch Mac or up to a 15.6-inch PC, while an interior slip pocket offers quick access to a tablet and smart phone.
A second zippered compartment on the front of the bag, lined with booq’s signature copper-colored lining for easy navigation, provides organization for chargers, pens, and other gadgets. An additional slip pocket on the back of the bag is large enough to hold a magazine, presentation or portfolio.
The Cobra slim also features booq’s original Terralinq service, a...

Oct 14

Belkin unveils QODE Ultimate Pro Keyboard for the iPad Air

Belkin has launched the QODE Ultimate Pro Keyboard for iPad Air. It costs US$149.99 and is available now at http://tinyurl.com/ptbbqb9 .
"We’ve taken everything that was great about our original QODE Ultimate Keyboard and added a number of premium features that our customers have requested, including a backlit keyboard, more responsive keys, adjustable viewing angles and a removable case," says Ana Hory, director of Belkin’s QODE keyboard business. "The QODE Ultimate Pro turns the iPad Air into a lightweight productivity workhorse, giving users a viable way to get real work done without having to carry around a clunky laptop."
Designed for users who want both a protective case and a keyboard, but not always at the same time, the QODE Ultimate Pro features a detachable back case that lets you remove it from the keyboard. The case portion is compatible with the Apple Smart Cover for full dual-sided protection when the keyboard isn’t in use. Thanks to its detachable case, the QODE...

Oct 14

NetSpot for Mac OS X revved to version 2.4

NetSpot (www.netspotapp.com/) has announced NetSpot 2.4, an update of the Wi-Fi site survey software for Mac users. New features now accessible from the Preferences menu include the ability to add an iperf3 server address for active scanning via TCP and/or UDP, import and export global AP aliases, and auto-clear old Discover Mode data.
NetSpot allows visualizing their networks, identifying areas of weakness and correcting problems. The free, standard version includes a wireless discover mode, a new streamlined interface, and more. Premium paid additions are offered for users who need more advanced Wi-Fi survey features.
The Pro edition gives network experts features such as multi-floor scanning, active scanning, the ability to scan hidden networks, and automated troubleshooting. The Enterprise edition includes all the features of the Pro edition and provides licenses to all users within a company, along with priority support. NetSpot Pro and Enterprise allow commercial use.

Oct 13

Native Instruments announces TRAKTOR KONTROL S8 all-in-one DJ...

Native Instruments has announced TRAKTOR KONTROL S8 (www.native-instruments.com/s8) – a new DJ controller designed for TRAKTOR PRO 2 control.
TRAKTOR KONTROL S8’s full color displays and touch-sensitive hardware controls fuse with enhanced track decks, a 4-channel standalone mixer, and the flagship TRAKTOR software for a multisensory DJ experience. It will be available online and at retailers worldwide on Oct. 30, 2014 for US$1,199.
of DJing.

Oct 13

iPhone 6, iPhone 6 Plus arrive in 36 more countries, territories...

Apple says the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus will arrive in 36 additional countries and territories across Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Latin America and Africa by the end of October.
The new smartphones will be available in a total of 69 countries and territories by the end of the month. They're on track to be available in more than 115 countries by the end of the year, making this the fastest iPhone rollout ever.
The iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus rollout continues on the following dates:
° Friday, Oct. 17: China, India and Monaco;
° Thursday, Oct. 23: Israel;
° Friday, Oct. 24: Czech Republic, French West Indies, Greenland, Malta, Poland, Reunion Island and South Africa;
° Thursday, Oct. 30: Bahrain and Kuwait;
° Friday, Oct. 31: Albania, Bosnia, Croatia, Estonia, Greece, Guam, Hungary, Iceland, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Macau, Macedonia, Mexico, Moldova, Montenegro, Serbia, South Korea, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Ukraine and Thailand.

Oct 13

MatchWare Launches MindView 5 Business Mac

MatchWare has launched MindView 5 Business Mac (http://tinyurl.com/cmtfa3), a mind mapping and Gantt chart creation application built on MatchWare’s MindView Business Platform.
It's designed to enable project managers and other users to brainstorm work breakdown structures (WBS) in mind maps and transfer the data between six interchangeable views: Gantt Chart, Timeline, Mind Map, Top Down, Left/Right and Outline. In addition to key project management-focused upgrades -- including individually managed resource calendars, effort-driven tasks, and improved branch data visualization -- MindView 5 Business Mac also features: a Mac-friendly interface; enhanced Microsoft Office and Microsoft Project integration; built-in task and resource allocation; and transferring to/from MindView 5 Business PC.
MatchWare’s MindView 5 Business Mac is available for a one-time fee of US$349 a single user A demo version is also available.

Oct 13

AKVIS Charcoal 1.0 is new image editing program for Mac OS X,...

AKVIS has released a new image editing program, AKVIS Charcoal 1.0 (https://akvis.com/en/charcoal/index.php). It's a standalone application and Photoshop plug-in for Mac OS X and Windows.
The software creates charcoal, chalk, and sanguine drawings from photos. The program contains 34 ready-to-use presets. You can create your own presets saving your favorite combinations of the parameters.
The software runs on Mac OS X 10.6 and higher and Windows XP/Vista/Win7/Win 8. It costs US$49 for a home license. A demo is available for download.

Oct 13

Quark releases free QuarkXPress document converter for...

Quark Software has announced the QuarkXPress Document Converter, a free tool that allows QuarkXPress users to open legacy QuarkXPress files in QuarkXPress 10. QuarkXPress 10 inherently supports documents created with QuarkXPress 7-10, but not legacy documents created in versions 3-6.
Through the QuarkXPress Document Converter user interface, QuarkXPress 10 users can select a single QuarkXPress document or an entire folder and convert the files to a format compatible with QuarkXPress 10. Prior to the availability of the QuarkXPress Document Converter, users needed to maintain a copy of QuarkXPress 9 in order to access old documents.
The QuarkXPress Document Converter also offers the added benefit of batch conversions, which QuarkXPress 9 does not support. To download the free QuarkXPress Document Converter, go to http://tinyurl.com/3rmaqwm .

Oct 10

GT Advanced looking to 'wind down' operations

Sapphire crystal maker GT Advanced Technologies has asked the court’s permission to “wind down” operations at its manufacturing plant, less than a year after announcing a high-profile deal to supply the material to Apple, according to re/code (http://tinyurl.com/opcqz89).
U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Henry Boroff set a hearing for Oct. 15 in Springfield, Mass., to consider the motion. Earlier this week GT, Apple’s partner in a sapphire production facility in Arizona, together with certain of its direct and indirect subsidiaries (collectively, GT), commenced voluntary cases under chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Hampshire.

Oct 10

Apple Watch to be featured on cover of Vogue China

Chinese model Liu Wen in Vogue China's November issue, wearing the Apple Watch on the cover of the magazine, notes MacRumors (www.macrumors.com).
Wen appears to be wearing the 18-karat yellow gold Edition Apple Watch, which features a red Modern Buckle Band. She's also featured wearing other Apple Watch models on a spread inside the magazine.
Apple unveiled the Apple Watch at a Sept. 9 media event. It's expected to go on sale in early 2015, perhaps by February.
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Oct 10

Apple to stream its Oct. 16 event

Apple plans to offer a live stream of its October 16 media event. The company will provide a stream of the event both on its website and through a dedicated channel on the Apple TV.
The Oct. 16 event will begin at 10 a.m. (Pacific). The invitation’s tag line says, “it’s been way too long.” Almost certain to be unveiled are Mac OS X Yosemite and new iPad Airs and minis. Other possibilities are a new Mac mini, a revamped Apple TV, a Retina display iMac, a 12-inch iPad Pro and a 12-inch Retina display MacBook Air.

Oct 10

InfoLogic releases MathMagic Lite for Mac OS X

InfoLogic has releases MathMagic Lite 8.91, their free, complimentary equation editor for Mac OS X 10.6 or later.
On top of its interface to type math expressions and symbols via palettes and keyboard, it also reads various Math formats including MathML, LaTeX, Plain TeX, Wiki equations, ASCIIMath, MathJax, and MathType. MathMagic Lite for Mac can save expressions in PNG, SVG, JPG, Math-To-Speech and more.
Unlike the paid versions, MathMagic Lite has some less used or high end complex features disabled or removed, focusing more on K-12 math levels. Also, colors are converted to grey. High end users who need more advanced features can try MathMagic Personal and MathMagic Pro. MathMagic Lite for Mac OS X is free and available immediately for download from the MathMagic website (http://www.mathmagic.com/).

Oct 10

Keylogger for Mac adds in-app "All Activity" view

WideStep Security Software (http://www.widestep.com) has announced Elite Keylogger for Mac 1.4, an update to the keystroke recorder software. Elite It allows invisible recording of most keystrokes, email, chats and websites visited, along with screen captures.
Version 1.4 brings a new in-app "All Activity" view that combines keystrokes, chat logs and website history. The new release also brings automatic log backup and recovery for Pro users.
Elite Keylogger for Mac is compatible with 64-bit Macs running Mac OS X 10.6.8 and later. There are two versions available: Free and Pro. The difference between the two is that the free version isn't invisible, and its logs don't display passwords and chat conversations.
Elite Keylogger Pro licensing is US$49 for one monitored Mac, $99 for five monitored d Macs, and $99 for 25 monitored Macs $199. An unlimited license is $299. Version 1.4 is a free update to all users of Elite Keylogger Pro.

Oct 09

Pangea Audio introduces Apple certified Lightning to USB cables

Pangea Audio (www.pangeaaudio.com) has introduced MFI-tested, Apple-certified Lightning cables for use with the iPhone 6, 6 Plus, 5/5S/5C, iPad Air, iPad Mini with Retina and all Lightning-equipped Apple devices.
Pangea Lightning cables are an five-feet in length—42% longer than Apple’s standard Lightning cable. They feature "superior shielding, robust 27-gauge signal conductors, heavy-duty 21-gauge power conductors and Apple’s newest, thinnest C48 Lightning connector on one end, with a USB 'A' connector on the other end," says Pangea cable designer Jay Victor.
Pangea has utilized high-grade copper, with wire gauges that are significantly thicker than a typical Apple-type cable in order to deliver accurate signal and steady power despite the longer cable length, he adds. Five available colors (black, blue, green, pink, or white) are designed to match your iPhone, iPad Mini or other Apple device.
The suggested retail price for the Pangea Lightning cables is US$29.95. However they are...

Oct 09

Investor Carl Icahn posts open letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook

Carl Icahn has posted an open letter (http://bit.ly/1pUEl6O) to Apple CEO Tim Cook The investor calls on the company to accelerate its pace of share buybacks and makes the case that shares of AAPL are worth $203 based on projected FY16 and FY17 earnings.
Here's how the letter starts: "As a large Apple shareholder with approximately 53 million shares, we applaud you and the rest of management, especially in light of recent launches and announcements which further validate our view that you are the ideal CEO for Apple. It is truly a watershed moment, with Apple poised to take market share from Google (Android) in the premium device market as iPhone 6 becomes Apple’s flagship device among a growing collection of products and services that work together to form an increasingly dominant mobile ecosystem."

Oct 09

MAXON says Cineware 2.0, Cinema 4D Lite 16 are included with the...

MAXON (www.maxon.net) says MAXON Cineware 2.0 and Cinema 4D Lite Release 16 are now available in the latest version of Adobe After Effects CC (2014.1) .
The new updates to the Cineware workflow, available in the fall release of After Effects CC 2014, are designed to optimize performance and enhance creative capabilities. With After Effects CC, creative professionals benefit from the integration provided by Cineware that establishes a direct connection between Cinema 4D and After Effects, according to MAXON.
Users can open, edit and enhance Cinema 4D project files inside After Effects using the Live 3D pipeline first introduced last year in After Effects CC. Even compositing passes can be selected, edited and enhanced directly in After Effects. Cinema 4D Lite, a "lite" version of Cinema 4D, is included in After Effects CC.

Oct 09

AppDelete is ready for Mac OS X Yosemite

Reggie Ashworth (http://www.reggieashworth.com/appdelete) has released AppDelete 4.1.4, an update to his application deletion utility for Mac OS X.
Via drag and drop, AppDelete will uninstall anything along with all of the associated items. Version 4.1.4 sports a new user interface and is optimized for Mac OS X Yosemite.
AppDelete 4.1.4 costs US$7.99 for a single user license. Upgrades from Version 2/AppDelete Lite are $3.99 (USD). A full-featured demo is available.

Oct 09

Synchro Soft announces Oxygen XML Editor 16.1

Syncro Soft, the developer of the Oxygen XML suite of products, has rolled out version 16.1 of its Oxygen XML Editor, Oxygen XML Author and Oxygen XML Developer products (http://www.oxygenxml.com/buy.html) containing a set of tools supporting all the XML related technologies.
oXygen XML Editor 16.1 adds improvements to both the XML development and XML authoring functionality. Oxygen XML Editor is available in three editions. A 30-day demo version can be downloaded.

Oct 08

OWC Mercury Elite Pro Dual now available in 12TB capacity

Other World Computing (http://www.macsales.com) has announced a new 12TB capacity option for the OWC Mercury Elite Pro line of dual-bay external high-performance storage solutions, one of OWC’s family of Thunderbolt interface storage products.
The Mercury Elite Pro Dual, now available in capacities from 0GB (add your own drives) and up to 12TB of total storage, adds storage capacity and throughput to any Mac or PC with a Thunderbolt port. Applications such as A/V post-production, photography, music, graphics, data management, and even Time Machine backups can be enhanced with access to data at sustained data rates of up to 389MB/s read, 351MB/s write.
The Mercury Elite Pro Dual supports independent drive access for two installed drives, providing hardware RAID, and is ideal for RAID 0, 1, Span, and Independent (JBOD) Modes. Pricing ranges from US$399 to $1,099.99.

Oct 08

Apple gains marketshare in global PC sales

Worldwide PC shipments totaled 78.5 million units in the third quarter of 2014 (3Q14), a year-on-year decline of -1.7% and a sizable improvement over the forecast of -4.1%, according to the International Data Corporation (www.idc.com). Apple moved into the number 5 position on a worldwide basis, slightly overtaking ASUS. The company's steady growth, along with recent price cuts and improved demand in mature markets, has helped it to consistently outgrow the market.
Many of the trends from the second quarter remained relevant and contributed to the 3Q14 results, says the research group. Commercial PC purchases played a key role in many markets, with the top three vendors – Lenovo, HP, and Dell – all showing solid year-on-year growth.
Conversely, fierce competition and a spiral toward tablet-like prices helped to further consolidate the market. Shipments of entry systems, including Chromebooks, continued to inject an important source of volume and sustained improved consumer demand in...

Oct 08

Native Instruments introduces Caribbean Current Expansion for...

Native Instruments (http://www.native-instruments) has introduced Caribbean Current, a new Maschine Expansion that pairs the sounds and rhythms of traditional Caribbean music with a modern, club-oriented aesthetic.
Caribbean Current features all-new patterns, custom Massive presets, a dub siren, and exclusive kits created and inspired by artists in the upcoming NI documentary "Sabroso! A Road Trip to Colombia’s Caribbean Coast." Caribbean Current is available now at the NI Online Shop for US$49
It runs in the Maschine 2 software on Maschine Studio, Maschine, or Maschine Mikro. A compact version for iMaschine is also available via the in-app store for $0.99.

Oct 08

Apple announces Oct. 16 media event

Apple has sent out press invitations to a keynote address for Thursday, Oct. 16, at the Town Hall auditorium on its Infinite Loop Campus in Cupertino, California.
The event will begin at 10 a.m. (Pacific). The invite's tag line says, "it's been way too long."

Oct 08

comScore reports August smartphone subscriber marketshare for...

comScore (www.comscore.com), which "measures the digital world," has reported trends in the U.S. smartphone industry for August.
Apple ranked as the top smartphone manufacturer with 42% OEM [original equipment manufacturer] market share, while Google Android led as the #1 smartphone platform with 52% platform market share. Facebook ranked as the top individual smartphone app.
comScore says 174 million people in the U.S. owned smartphones (72% mobile market penetration) during the three months ending in August, up 3 percent since May. Apple ranked as the top OEM with 42% of U.S. smartphone subscribers (up 0.1 percentage points from May). Samsung ranked second with 28.9% market share (up 1.1 percentage points), followed by LG with 6.7% (up 0.2 percentage points), Motorola with 5.4%and HTC with 4.5%.
Android ranked as the top smartphone platform in August with 52% market share, followed by Apple with 42% (up 0.1 percentage points from May), Microsoft with 3.5% (up 0.1 percentage points...

Oct 08

Apple remains top consumer brand for teens

Piper Jaffray (www.piperjaffray.com) as completed its 28th semi-annual Taking Stock With Teens market research project, which indicates increased spending across categories despite decreased optimism about the economy. Apple remains the top consumer electronics brand for teens.
Sixty-seven percent own iPhones, up 6% from spring 2014. Seventy-three percent of teens expect their next phone to be an iPhone.
"Our fall 2014 survey results indicate teens continue to diversify their tastes through discovery of emerging brands and multi-brand experimentation, even as their views of the economy worsen," says Steph Wissink, co-director of research and senior research analyst at Piper Jaffray. "We also observe trends that indicate teens use social media, mainly Instagram, to create their own unique personal brands and seek peer affirmation. Millennials continue to be early adopters of change who use technology to engage with brands ‘on demand’ on their own time."
Key findings from the survey in...

Oct 08

App Tamer revved for Mac OS X Yosemite

St. Clair Software (http://www.stclairsoft.com/) has introduced an upgrade (2.0.4) to App Tamer, its Mac utility that manages applications to deliver more efficient CPU usage and increased battery life. This version delivers full compatibility with Mac OS X Yosemite.
App Tamer comes pre-configured to automatically manage Safari, Firefox, Chrome, Spotlight, Time Machine, Word and many other apps when they're in the background. You can customize it for other apps, as well.
App Tamer will operate on any Mac running Mac OS X 10.7 or higher. You can try App Tamer free for 15 days. A license to continue using it after the trial period is US$14.95. Users of App Tamer 2.x can upgrade to version 2.0.4 for free. Users of earlier versions can upgrade for $7.95.

Oct 08

'DigiTimes' claims a 12-inch MacBook Air has entered...

Taiwan-based Quanta Computer has started production on a 12-inch MacBook Air "in small volumes" and will gradually increase output beginning November, claims "DigiTimes" (www.digitimes.com), quoting sources with Taiwan's supply chain.
"Since initial production of 12-inch MacBook Air has not yet reached a satisfactory yield rate, component makers and Quanta are making efforts to hike yield rates for the time being," the article adds "As initial production is in limited volumes, 12-inch MacBook Air may not be able to hit the store shelves in time for Christmas, the sources indicated."

Oct 08

ChronoSync ready for Mac OS X Yosemite

Econ Technologies (www.econtechnologies) has updated ChronoSync to version 4.5.3, featuring compatibility with the upcoming Mac OS X Yosemite.
ChronoSync can synchronize, backup or create bootable backups to most anything you can connect to your Mac, including folders on your Mac, other Macs, PC's, and external drives.
Existing users can update for free. A demo is available for download. Registration for new users is US$40.

Oct 08

DEVONtechnologies updates its apps for Mac OS X Yosemite

DEVONtechnologies (www.devontechnologies.com) has upgraded all editions of its information and knowledge manager DEVONthink as well as the notebook app DEVONnote for the upcoming OS X Yosemite with new features, interface adjustments, and bug fixes. The updates are free and recommended for all users.
User interface adjustments make the apps look better in Yosemite's new flat design. Also, DEVONthink 2.8 comes with a new sharing extension. It allows users to clip text and web addresses from other Mac apps with a single click. Extensions are Yosemite's new way for exchanging data between applications.
Other new features include a script for Safari that adds the web addresses of all open tabs as bookmarks to DEVONthink. Sharing information becomes easier with a Share submenu available in contextual menus of PDF and web views. The Clip to DEVONthink web browser extension now also works from Safari's reading list. Users of both DEVONthink and DEVONnote can set images in web views as the...

Oct 07

Goodsol serves up Pretty Good Solitaire for Mac

Goodsol Development (http://www.goodsol.com/) has announced Pretty Good Solitaire 3 for the Mac. It's an updated solitaire game collection with 550 different solitaire games.
It includes the games Klondike, FreeCell, Spider, Yukon, Scorpion, Pyramid, Crazy Quilt, Golf, Cruel and more. It has unlimited undo and redo functions, allowing you to go back to the beginning.
Pretty Good Solitaire 3.03 is available worldwide through the Mac App Store in the Games/Card category for $24.99.

Oct 07

CS Odessa announced infographics solution for ConceptDraw Pro

CS Odessa (www.conceptdraw.com) says it's new Data-driven Infographics Solution for ConceptDraw Pro is available immediately in ConceptDraw Solution Park.
It allows anyone to build infographics from data that conveys a complete story to one’s audience. The new solution provides graphical user elements needed to transform data into a visual message.
The Data-driven Infographics Solution has been added to ConceptDraw Pro 10 at no charge to customers. ConceptDraw Pro is compatible with Mac OS X and Microsoft Windows. It retails for US$199. ConceptDraw Pro 10 is now included in ConceptDraw Office 2, which retails for $499.

Oct 07

Scorpion Barcode optimized for Mac OS X Yosemite

Scorpion Research (http://www.ScorpionResearch.com) has updated Scorpion BarCode, its barcode creation software for Mac OS X (10.6 or higher), to version 2.5. The upgrade is optimized for the upcoming OS X 10 Yosemite.
Scorpion BarCode lets you create barcode images for use in other applications. A single user license is US$165; multiple user and educational discounts are available. A 30-day demo can be downloaded at the Scorpion Research web site.

Oct 07

128bit Technologies releases Logo Pop Free on the Mac App Store

128bit Technologies (www.macappware.com) has introduced Logo Pop Free, its new vector based logo design app for Mac OS X 10.6.6 or higher. It's available at the Mac App Store for free.
The utility allows you to create a professional looking vector based logo, then use it online or in print with support for all popular image formats including transparent PNGs. You can use your logo on websites, business cards, letterhead, merchandise, social media, product packaging, gravatars, profile pictures, or any other branding or marketing piece.

Oct 07

New Apple products for 2015 to consume 25% of DRAM industry...

While the launch of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus has created a global consumer frenzy, eager Apple fans are still anticipating the release of the upgraded 2GB storage iPad Air 2, and MacBook Pro, which will be equipped with LPDDR3 DRAM for the first time.
Apple’s consumption of mobile DRAM will grow from the current 16.5% of the industry’s total production volume to 25% in 2015, as the California-based tech giant equips more smartphones, tablets and even notebook products with DRAM, says Avril Wu, assistant vice president of DRAMeXchange, a subsidiary of the Taiwan-based market intelligence firm TrendForce (http://www.trendforce.com).
"Since Apple is already a major player in the mobile DRAM market, PC DRAM manufacturers will switch to mobile DRAM to meet the company’s demands," says Wu. "This has indirectly caused supply shortages in the PC DRAM and server DRAM sectors."
After rejoining the Apple supply chain, Samsung is adjusting 2015 production expansion plans. Aside from...

Oct 07

Easy Duplicate Finder for Mac OS X upgraded to version 4.7

WebMinds (http://www.easyduplicatefinder.com) has revved Easy Duplicate Finder, its duplicate finder for Mac OS X, to version 4.7. Its new scanning mode lets users scan their iTunes libraries for duplicate songs and delete the duplicates in a single click without having to worry about any synchronization issues.
Easy Duplicate Finder's iTunes Scan mode scans your Mac's hard drive for duplicate music tracks while scanning for duplicate iTunes library entries. This technique allows you to delete the duplicates without having to inspect countless folders that contain music.
Another advantage of Easy Duplicate Finder's iTunes Scan is that the program synchronizes iTunes and iPhoto after it deletes duplicate files. The synchronization is automatic.
In addition to the new iTunes Scan duplicate detection mode, Easy Duplicate Finder 4.7 features functionality improvements and includes a new offline Quick Start Guide that is accessible from within the program. A demo is available for download...

Oct 06

Apple’s iMessage is the fourth most popular messaging app

Apple’s iMessage is the fourth most popular messaging app, according to new data from the Parks Associates research group. Facebook Messenger, Skype, and SnapChat are ahead of it.
Among messaging app users, 53% use Facebook Messenger, and 45% use Skype,” says Tejas Mehta, research analyst, Parks Associates. “These two apps are dominant in this high-growth area. At the beginning of 2014, 34% of U.S. smartphone owners used a messaging app on a monthly basis. The difficulty, especially for new entrants, is turning user growth into revenues.”
Parks Associates notes smartphone penetration has exceed 75% of U.S. broadband households, driving growth of OTT [over-the-top] messaging apps as users look to avoid costs of SMS messaging services by their mobile operators. As a result, the rapid growth in messaging app usage comes at the cost of text messaging.
Parks Associates estimates that global OTT messaging volume will grow from 10 trillion messages in 2013 to nearly 67 trillion messages in...

Oct 06

GT Advanced, files for bankruptcy

GT Advanced Technologies (www.gtat.com), Apple's partner in a sapphire production facility in Arizona, has together with certain of its direct and indirect subsidiaries (collectively, GT), commenced voluntary cases under chapter 11 of the Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Hampshire.
In a press release, GT says it expects the court will authorize the company to continue to conduct business as usual while it devotes renewed efforts to resolve its current issues and develops a reorganization plan. The company indicated that as of Sept. 29, 2014, it had approximately $85 million of cash.
In addition, it is now seeking debtor-in-possession financing, which, once obtained, would provide the company with an immediate source of additional funds. These funding sources will enable GT to satisfy the customary obligations associated with the daily operation of its business, including the timely payment of employee wages and other obligations.

Oct 06

Apple updates Xprotect malware list

Apple has updated its Xprotect malware list for the Mac that includes the Mac.BackDoor.iWorm malware. First introduced with Mac OS X Snow Leopard Xprotect watches for signatures from known malware threats and works to stop them from invading your computer.
Apple's updated definitions list can identify two iWorm variants. Xprotect definitions are updated automatically.

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FileZilla 3.10.2 - Fast and reliable FTP...

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PushPal 3.0 - Mirror Android notificatio...

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At this point it’s pretty safe to say that no MOBA is going to dethrone Dota 2 and League of Legends anytime soon. After all, if Batman can’t do it, nobody can. However, with a genre as popular and profitable as this one, there’s still room for... | Read more »

Final February Fun at 148Apps
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GDC 2015 – Does Not Commute is Definitel...

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Posted by Rob Rich on March 2nd, 2015 [ permalink ]
We were teased about Mediocre Games’ (Smash Hit,
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F84 Games & POW! Announce Stan Lee V...

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Setlyst Keeps Your Set Straight So You C...

Setlyst Keeps Your Set Straight So You Can Focus On Rocking Out.
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Space is Vast, So Space Agency Has a Vas...

Space is Vast, So Space Agency Has a Vast New Update!
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Universal App - Designed for iPhone and iPad
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Size DOES Matter Review

Size DOES Matter Review
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The first ever action 3D card battler Al...

On the other hand, you probably haven’t played an action 3D card battler – until now. Step forward, All Star Legion.
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Travel Back to the 1980s With the Making...

Headup Games has released a hilarious making of video for its upcoming title, Pixel Heroes: Byte & Magic. The game is a RPG/Roguelike where you control three heroes set to save the township of Pixton from an evil cult called The Sons of Dawn.... | Read more »

Price Scanner via MacPrices.net

Sale! 15-inch 2.2GHz Retina MacBook Pro for $...

Best Buy has the 15″ 2.2GHz Retina MacBook Pro on sale for $1774.99 $1799.99, or $225 off MSRP. Choose free home shipping or free local store pickup (if available). Price valid for online orders... Read more

27-inch 3.5GHz 5K iMac in stock today and on...

B&H Photo has the 27″ 3.5GHz 5K iMac in stock today and on sale for $2299 including free shipping plus NY sales tax only. Their price is $200 off MSRP, and it’s the lowest price available for... Read more

Apple Launches Free Web-Based Pages and Other...

Apple’s new Web-only access to iWork productivity apps is a free level of iCloud service available to anyone, including people who don’t own or use Apple devices. The service includes access to Apple... Read more

Survey Reveals Solid State Disk (SSD) Technol...

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Save up to $600 with Apple refurbished Mac Pr...

The Apple Store is offering Apple Certified Refurbished Mac Pros for up to $600 off the cost of new models. An Apple one-year warranty is included with each Mac Pro, and shipping is free. The... Read more

Apple CEO Tim Cook will deliver the George Washington University’s Commencement address to GWU grads on May 17, at which time he will also be awarded an honorary doctorate of public service from the... Read more

Apple restocks refurbished Mac minis for up t...

The Apple Store has restocked Apple Certified Refurbished 2014 Mac minis, with models available starting at $419. Apple’s one-year warranty is included with each mini, and shipping is free:
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Walmart has the 16GB iPad Air 2 WiFi on sale for $446.99 on their online store for a limited time. Choose free shipping or free local store pickup (if available). Sale price for online orders only,... Read more

Jobs Board

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